The document, which requires approval from Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yuli Edelstein, includes certain sanctions on draft dodgers, but with significant softening compared to Edelstein's original proposals. The agreements reflect a compromise designed to prevent a coalition crisis while attempting to meet legal and military requirements.
The Sanctions: License Revocation and Exit Ban
Main points of the principles document:
- Immediate sanctions on draft dodgers
- Revocation of driving license from the day the law is enacted for those who didn't report for military service
- Prevention of exit from the country, with establishment of an exceptions committee to examine special cases
- Cancellation of academic study subsidies and affirmative action preference in employment services for draft dodgers
- Deferred sanctions: After one year, if draft targets are not met, additional sanctions will be imposed: denial of eligibility for housing lottery tenders
- Cancellation of municipal tax discounts and National Insurance allowances for Torah students
- The ultra-Orthodox opposed the immediate sanctions proposed by Edelstein and succeeded in postponing some of them for a year
- Daycare funding: Upon enactment of the law, 25% of the aid amount will be given to everyone
- After six months, compliance with draft targets will be checked: if met, the subsidy will rise to 50%. If not, it will remain at 25%. After one year, meeting targets will guarantee 100% subsidy for everyone; non-compliance will leave the subsidy at 25%
The ultra-Orthodox agreed that in case of non-compliance with targets, sanctions will take effect without an adjustment period, contrary to their original demand
The Knesset's legal advisor, Sagit Afek, insists on a permanent sanctions mechanism throughout the entire law, including personal and institutional sanctions, and setting draft quotas according to IDF needs.
